Cal Lutheran men wrap up spot in SCIAC tournament

Rich Rider saw the gradual improvements his team was making and the maturation of his young players.

The Cal Lutheran men's basketball coach was just hoping the progress would be rewarded with a meaningful milestone this season.

Rider got his wish on Tuesday night as the Kingsmen clinched a berth in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament with an 84-76 victory over Whittier at Gilbert Arena.

The regular-season finale was a winner-take-all showdown for the fourth and final SCIAC Tournament spot.

"It is really a confidence booster for our young guys," Rider said. "It kind of validates what we are trying to do as far as hard work and perseverance through tough times. Now they are starting to sense the value of what we've been trying to teach them all along."

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (15-9, 11-3) and La Verne (13-12, 8-6) play in the other semifinal. The semifinal winners meet Saturday for the title and an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Tournament.

"It was a playoff atmosphere and a hard-fought game," Rider said. "Whittier is a talented team and very athletic, and we felt very fortunate to come out ahead. We had to play well through some up times and down times, and the kids were very happy in the locker room when it was over."

CLU started 2-4 in conference but never gave up hope of postseason basketball.

On the same night Caltech snapped its 26-year, 310-game SCIAC losing streak, CLU extended its winning streak and secured its tournament spot.

"We just kept saying the league is so even and that anything could happen," Rider said. "We just had to take care of ourselves, and if we continued to improve and have high-quality practices, it would give us the best opportunity to make the tournament."

CLU's next challenge is fighting for an even bigger tournament berth — the NCAA Tournament.

"It's all even now, and we have wiped the slate clean," Rider said. "Everyone starts 0-0, and it is playoff time."